Knife having different blade positions



April 16, 1957 E. G. MARCMANN 2,788,574

KNIFE HAVING DIFFERENT BLADE POSITIONS Filed Aug. 6, 1954 INVENTOR. EM/L G. NHRCMH/VN 1 51: 5. BY 1 $05M g4 QTTOENEY United States Patent KNIFE HAVING DIFFERENT BLADE POSITIONS Emil G. Marcmann, Cranford, N. J., assignor to Red Devil Tools, Irvington, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 6, 1954, Serial No. 448,195

2 Claims. (Cl. 30-320) My invention relates to a knife having a handle and a blade which may be fixed in a number of different positions therein to suit different cutting purposes.

The knife of my invention enables the blade to be set in different positions projecting in a straight line from one end of the handle to provide blades of different lengths and with different amounts of cutting edge and different degrees of rigidity or stiffness.

In the knife of my invention the blade may in addition to the above positions be set at an angle to the length of the handle for purposes of cutting linoleum and similar materials.

In the knife of my invention the handle is formed of two complementary parts or scales which may be joined in approximately the plane of the knife blade. One of these scales has a recess in the flat side which fits against the outermost scale in which recess an end portion of the knife blade may be held. And it is also provided with a pin extending through this recess and into a receiving hole in the opposite scale when the handle is assembled.

The knife blade has two holes through which the pin may pass, one hole being on the longitudinal median of the blade so that the blade may be positioned in the recess alternately with the ends reversed. Or, with the edges reversed there thus being four positions of the blade in which it extends endwise from the recess of the assembled handle.

A second hole is provided in the blade so positioned that when the pin is passed through it and the scales assembled the blade will extend endwise from the handle and be held in position by the pin and by the abutment of the adjacent edge of the blade against the side of the recess.

One or both scales may also be provided with a recess or magazine for additional blades. The scales may be held in assembled position by a screw, bolt or other means.

The various features of the invention are illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view showing the two scales of the knife separated and showing the knife blade in one of its cutting positions;

Fig. 2 is a view of the knife assembled and with the blade in the same position as that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing the blade with the edges reversed from the position shown in Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a view of the assembled knife showing the blade reversed end .to end from its position in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the blade reversed edge to edge from its position in Fig. 4, and end to end from its position in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the knife showing the blade extending at an angle from the handle as is customary in knives for cutting linoleum and similar material.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the knife 2,788,574 Patented Apr. 16, 1957 comprises a pair of scales 10 and 11 which may be formed of metal, plastic or wood, or a combination of metal and plastic or wood, but preferably of a material or materials that may be molded, die cast or stamped to the shape and form desired.

The scale 10 is provided with a fiat face 12 and an outer, preferably rounded, face 13 as shown in Fig. 2. The scale 11 has a flat face 14 to fit flatwise against the face 12 of scale 10 but is also provided with a recess 15 extending longitudinally of the face 14 to open at the blade end of the scale. The recess 15 is of a depth and width to receive closely a blade 16. The scale 11 may also be provided with a storage recess 17 for a spare blade 18. 1

The scale 11 is also provided with a pin 19 extending transversely of the recess 15 and blade 16 and on a median line of the blade through the recess 15 and into an opening 20 inthe blade 16 and into an opening or recess 21 in the scale 10. The two scales may be held in assembled position by one or more bolts or screws 22.

The end of each scale holding the knife blade terminates on an end surface 23 at an angle to the length of the blade, the inclination of the ends 23 being such that the scales have a right and left hand relation ,to each other so that when assembled the end 23 makes a smooth end surface slanting transversely at an angle to .the length of the handle.

The blade 16 is not symmetrical with respect to the opening 20 having one end 24 at a greater distance from the opening 20 and inclined to the longitudinal axis of the blade at a greater angle than the opposite end 25. Thus, when the blade is assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the blade will project from the end of the handie with the end 24 farther from the inclined edge 23 of the handle so as to give a greater length of blade and of cutting edge projecting from the handle.

By turning the blade 16 180 about its longitudinal axis and then reassembling it between the scales of the handle, the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is obtained. This provides a longer length of cutting edge and a greater reinforcement at the back of the blade inasmuch as the slanting end of the handle comes nearly to the angle of the end 24 with the back side edge of the blade. This gives a maximum of cutting edge with a maximum of rigidity at the rear edge of the blade.

The blade may be reversed end to end to provide the arrangement shown in Fig. 4. In this figure the end 25 is exposed and is substantially parallel to the end 23 of the handle. This provides a knife of a short stiff blade which is free across the width of the blade that is from the cutting edge to the back of the blade.

When the blade is turned about its longitudinal axis to a position diametrically opposite to that of Fig. 4,. the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 is obtained. In this arrangement there is a somewhat longer cutting edge than that of Fig. 4 with the edge 23 of the handle meeting the end edge 25 and thus giving a very strong rigid support and stiffness to the blade, while at the same time giving a substantially greater length of cutting edge.

In addition to the four positions illustrated in Figs.

2-5, the blade may be arranged in the position shown in Fig. 6. In this figure a second hole 26 is provided in the blade 16 so that the pin 19 may be passed through the hole when the blade is in the position shown in Fig. 6, in which position the end edge 25 will abut a side of the groove or recess 15 in the scale thus reinforcing and holding securely the blade 16 in this projecting position.

The blade may thus be used in a number of reversed positions to give varying amounts or lengths of cutting edge and stiffness as may be suited for carving or "tfifiihr'iflgthe"'edges'efvafious" materials, such as leather, etc., or," as shown 'in Fig. "6, may be given an inclination to the handle so that it may'cut with a drawing motion suitable for cutting linoleum and similar materials.

' The magazine *or storage recess l 17 enables one or {more-spare blades to 'be carried-so thereis always available a sharp fresh blade.

Having'described my'inve'ntion, what I 'claim is:

1. A knife having a pair of-complementary scales, one-of saidsc'ales having'a bladeholding recess extending from one "end of thescale ina longitudinal direct'ion, said end *of said one scale =from which said recess extends and the correspondingend of the other scale being inclined-to *the length of'the scale andto its side "edges to form an inclined transverse end, one of said scal'es "having a pin fixed therein on' the longitudinal median -f*'-s'aid recess near said inclined end and projecting through said recess and the opposite'scale'having a 'hole to receive the'projecting endof thepin'and a knife blade 'havingends inclined in opposite 'directio'ns' relative to-the length of the blade andhaving 'a cutting side 'edge' 'and'a hOIe in 'its longitudinal median to receive said pin when said blade'is placed in'positions in said recess reversed endto end-and edge to edge, the distance of said hole from one end of said blade "being less than its-distance from the otherend, the recss -extehdingdna longitudinal direction from "said pin a'distance atleast asgreat as the distance from 'the hole in said-knife blade to the farthest end of saidknife, and

=me'ans to-hold said scales securely together.

- 2. A knife having' apair ofcomplemeritary scales, one of said scales having a blade holdingrecess' extendin'g from one end of the-scale in a longitudinaldirection, said'end'of'said one scale from which said recess extends and the corresponding end of the other scale being inclined to the length of the scale and to its side -is-placed in positions in said recess reversed end vto end and edgefor edge, the recess extending ina longitudinal direction from said pin at least as great as thezdistance from the hole in said knife blade to the farthest end of said knife blade and means to hold said scales securely together, the ends 10f said Lknife blade being inclined oppositely relative to the length of the blade and the knife blade having a second hole therethrough positioned on a normal to an adjacent end of the blade and spaced from said'end a 'distanceequal "to-halfnhe width of the -recess so that said blade may be'pnsitione'cl to extend thi'ough'the open'end of the recessatan'angle -to' the'length ofthe assembled-scales with the p'inpassfling through 'said secondholeand one end of the blade abutting the edge ofthe-recess.

References Cited in the lite of "this patent "UNITED STATES PATENTS 670,2120 Van Tuyl Mar. 19,1901 1,833,406 Bratrud Nov.-24, 1931 1,876,180 Tobin- Sept. 6, 1932 2,215,216 Gits et al. Sept. 17, 1940 2,679,100 Ehler May 25, .1954 

